Jan 6 Committee Hearing 10-13 Sets Stage for a Seminal Event in US History

I hate having to divert from my current discussion – but after watching the final Jan 6 Committee Hearing, I must.

Perhaps my most defining quality is that I am a student of history. I have studied governments and leaders in ancient Rome and Greece and the factors that led to many of the revolutions that have occurred subsequent to the Renaissance that substantially changed the course of history. What is clear is that human nature is immutable – the same things that motivated people to act in ancient history directly apply today.

I am currently taking a course on the Federalist papers. It is astounding how much understanding those young men had of human nature (Hamilton and Madison were 30 and 37 years old, respectively.) They were both well steeped in history and they understood how selfish humans were and how easily they could be manipulated. To a significant degree, the Constitution was crafted to check the power of unscrupulous charlatans whose primary ambition was to accumulate power by befuddling the masses.

I just watched the final hearing by the January 6 Committee. It focuses on the premeditated plans of the previous chief magistrate of the most powerful nation in the history of the world to subvert the most fundamental principles of his nation and illegally retain power. This particular circumstance was not anticipated by the authors of the Constitution. They believed that they had built in enough safeguards that no president would ever attempt such a thing. And for forty-four presidents, they were right.

We are living in one of the most consequential periods in history. How we choose to response will have huge consequences for future generations. If a majority of Americans take the attitude that we don’t care how many laws and institutions a president subverts to stay in power, so long as he is “our” president, then the stage will be set for ending the rule of law and our constitutional republic.

However, if most Americans invest themselves in objectively understanding what actually occurred with the 45th President’s endeavor to thwart a peaceful transfer of power and empowers their elected leaders to ensure that this does not reoccur, then the future of our system of government will be extended.

For those who have heretofore chosen to not watch any of the Jan 6 Committee hearings, I beseech you to invest the time to view the one presented on Oct 13, 2022. By doing so, and responding appropriately, you will be able to affect one of the most consequential outcomes in the history of the world.

Note: this is not about Donald Trump. There is no way that he will ever be re-elected as president. This is about how much or how little power we are willing to give to future unscrupulous presidents.

Most relevant comments:

  • Kathryne Downing HartI have never seen him as wanting to be in power. This was more part of his grift. Originally running was a way to drum up donations/money. Then he won and the benefits to his businesses and delays in his legal troubles it afforded him resulted in a desire to stay in the position. If Congress had enforced the Emoluments Clause as the Founders intended I don’t think the job would have appealed to him.2
    • ActiveDavid TreppendahlKathryne Downing Hart I agree that I did think he really wanted to be president so much as he wanted to get revenge on Barack Obama. However, once he found that he was able to completely dominate the Republican Party and force such power brokers as McConnell and McCarthy to kiss his ring, that he could be the center of attention for most people on the planet- he was hooked on power and could not let it go. The big advantage that Donald Trump had over all prior presidents is that he is the only one who did not care about the well being of our nation or of his future legacy. He only cared about slaking his own desires in the here and now.That gave him the freedom to do things no other POTUS would have considered possible. However, if such actions are considered acceptable by a large enough portion of the electorate, then he will have normalized the heretofore unthinkable.3
  • Gerald ReavesExcellent commentary David.2
  • Ralph FletcherI’m a fan of a Republican Governor for next President. But I must ask. Didn’t the Democrats argue that Trump had to be impeached BEFORE he was even inaugurated? Yes or No? DIDNT the FBI spy on Trumps campaign and Carter Page illegally BEFORE AND AFTER Trump was inaugurated? Yes or No? Did a few swing states go beyond their respective legislative laws on voting to allow voting methods that had not been legislatively approved because of the ” COVID pandemic”? Yes or No? Didnt Trump ask Pelosi and the Mayor of DC for National Guards to be called up before Jan 6, a request that was denied because of “optics”? Yes or No? Finally, are Bidens policies better than Trumps policies when it comes to inflation, gas prices, mortgage rates, the Southern border, Ukraine war? Yes or No? Asking for a friend!2
    • Dennis LegerRalph Fletcher You can forget it my friend. Nobody on this blog site is going to answer your questions. To do so would require admitting some truths that they are not willing to get close to. Those answers would perhaps paint a different picture than the one they want to see.
    • ActiveDavid TreppendahlRalph Fletcher we are way beyond the question of whether Trump or Biden would be doing a better job on handling a specific issue – whether it be inflation, coordinating with NATO Allies on thwarting Putin, or any other challenge of the day.We are at a major inflection point in US history. We need to decide whether it is acceptable to allow a sitting president to use the power of his office and to incite illegal actors to stay in power after losing an election. If the response is, who cares since he is my guy, then America’s experiment with a constitutional republic governed by the rule of law will soon be over. The time will not be long before we are ruled by an autocrat- but not Donald Trump. Trump will never be RE-elected.What I am hoping all of my fb friends will do is watch the final Jan 6 hearing. I think when you do so, you will agree without the brave actions of a number of patriotic Republicans, Trump may well have retained power after clearly losing the election.And that would have been the end of our experiment.
  • Dennis LegerRalph Fletcher, The answer to your questions from the perspective of a hard-core Democrat/Biden supporter is very simple. None of what you have mentioned matters to them, so long as that man they hate, Donald Trump is not in the White House. To them, ANY measure taken (including illegal ones) to come against Trump is justified. They prefer to see this country burn to the ground and we lose the whole thing, so long as DJT is not in the White House. For some, their case of TDS (Trump Derangement Syndrome) is so severe that there is no cure. You don’t really believe that in the quiet of their own personal space that they can look in the mirror and truly say this “wrecking ball” Joe Biden is doing a good job, do you? No, they are intelligent enough to know better, but they must convince you and I otherwise. During the 2020 campaign, Trump had rattled off a list of things (not good things) regarding the southern border, the economy, and others that would happen if the Democrats moved into the White House. Ironically, we have experienced all of them; they were easy predictions to make.2
    • ActiveDavid TreppendahlDennis Leger after you watch the Jan 6 Committee hearing of Oct 13, come back and let’s discuss whether you wish Trump was still in power.At the end, He became an existential threat to our constitutional republic.No matter how many flubs Biden may make, better to have a government empowered by the rule of law than one by subterfuge and violence.And actually, Biden is doing a better job as president than I had expected – especially when you consider the hand he was given to play.
  • David LakvoldDavid Treppendahl, you wasted your time watching that one-sided dog and pony show masquerading as a “trial.” It was meant to give as much confirmation bias people wanted to confirm their previously held belief Orange Man is bad. Congratulations on your indoctrination. No need for critical thought, explanations, or factual evidence to support your Orange Man bad, real bad conclusion.Hide 15 Replies
    • Andy ScontrasDavid Lakvold “One-sided dog and pony show?” The committee built its case almost entirely from the testimony of Republicans, not Democrats ––Trump aides and Republican lawmakers, lawyers, political professionals, appointees, staff, and advisors and even from Trump’s family members. Maybe open your ears and eyes… Orange Man IS bad.2
    • David LakvoldAndy Scontras The hearing was a poorly written non-sensical fiction story of lies with no hero’s journey just a shampoo bottle’s wash, rinse, and repeat conclusion. Then again, what would you expect from leading members of the Democratic Party. Pathetic, miserable, pitiful, useless, feeble are an insufficient descriptions of those who held the hearing, watched the hearing, and believed the conclusions of the hearing. You know what makes America sort of great? We are all entitled to our opinions no matter how uniformed and biased they may be. Some are more uninformed than others, willfully so.
    • Andy ScontrasExactly what lies were supported by the hearing?Be specific.(I
    • Dennis LegerAndy Scontras Right — ORANGE MAN BAD! Things are so much better with Mr. “disaster” Biden, right? Yep, he brought us UNITY. Everyone is doing so much better. The southern border is secure, the economy is great (Biden’s personal economy actually IS), i… See more
    • David LakvoldDavid Treppendahl I don’t have to read all the writings of Marx to know he was an evil man with bad ideas. The implementation of these bad ideas have literally killed more than 100,000,000 people by people who read his trash. The same thing can be said of the commission that ran the dog and pony show that is strikingly similar to a Stalin show trail. The verdict was never in doubt. I question your ability to discern truth. Your biases are obviously and you feed them with stuff that makes them stronger and more unshakable. Your Rubicon was crossed long ago. Truth lost the war. Veni, vidi, victa veritas. The cure is a healthy dose of skepticism.
    • Andy ScontrasDennis Leger While predictable, your ad hominem rant about Biden is not a very effective tactic to dissuade anyone that Trump isn’t mentally, financially, politically, and morally corrupt. In fact, deflecting the question at hand by turning the tables on Biden, affirms there is no rational argument in support of Trump’s lack of a moral compass.Maybe you might try to explain how Orange Man is Good starting with adultery with porn stars and Playboy playmates and then paying hush money to these mistresses to conceal his adulterous affairs. Or defend how bullying and making fun of the physically handicapped is virtuous. Or maybe, take on how he incites violence and hatred at his rallies. Not to mention the Big Lie and his denigration of the voting process and vain attempts to stay in power at the risk of collapse of our government. There are many other opportunities you might find to demonstrate Orange Man Good. Have at it.So your choice Dennis, without casting stones at others, convince me the Orange Man isn’t bad. Integrity matters.
    • Daniel RunkleDavid Treppendahl he really wasn’t pining for Trump, just pointing out the hypocrisy of many of the facts you ignore. 😆. Your only response is to reply with a baseless distortion.
    • Heather J DurhamDavid Lakvold , if you wanted to discuss Marxism (and not some dictator’s version) in a remotely intelligent way, it would be best to yes, start with his writings and go from there. Your appeal to ignorance is… well, not altogether shocking anymore…
    • David LakvoldHeather J Durham I blame your substandard public school education on your inability to read above a grade school level. I have read Marx. In the previous post I said I did not have to read all of his writings to know his ideals were poorly conceived and awkwardly expressed, similar to the Jan 6th Committee hearing. I might add he had poor writing skills too, and unshockingly, an attribute you share with him. There is nothing remotely intelligent or admirable about any of his ideas, his person, or his life. He was a leach, envious, and impractical. Certainly the standard bearer for the Left and characteristics they pursue with passion.
  • ActiveDavid TreppendahlDavid Lakvold I just saw this comment to Heather. This personal demeaning of another of my FB friends is not acceptable on my fb page. You need to send her an apology via messenger and don’t personally insult other posters on my fb page again.
    • David LakvoldAndy Scontras The short answer to your question about identifying lies starts with the very premise on which the show trail is based. There was no insurrection on Jan 6th. Not even close to morphing to an insurrection. A rowdy rally? Not even that. Ray Epps and certainly more individuals like him are on video provoking the crowd to enter the Capital building. The crowd chants “feds, feds” because they are not fooled. Why hasn’t Epps been arrested and charged with inciting a riot? A BLM member can be identified on one of the tapes as the culprit who broke into the building. Inciting the crowd to become a mildly disruptive mob is the real crime and it appears to be staged by those interested in discrediting Trump. Answer the question of instigation and it will be obvious it was an unsuccessful democrat op that was supported by a corrupt and complicit media. Ask yourself why was Nancy Pelosi’s daughter in DC with a film crew on Jan 6. Before looking at what happened on Jan 6th ask yourself “who would benefit from a “failed” staged event? ” That is where to start. The show trail will never look into that but will produce a person who boldly lies about Trump attempting to grab the steering wheel to drive himself back to the WH. Even Flat Earthers knew that was a lie and mocked anyone who held that belief. And that liar was one the “republicans” you described in a previous post. If all the lies about Jan 6 were stacked like bricks around the capital complex we’d have a 60-foot wall, a prison complex of sort. Just take away the ability to spend money and it would be pure hell for these politicians from both sides of the isle.
    • Andy ScontrasDavid Lakvold“There is nothing remotely intelligent or admirable about any of his ideas, his person, or his life. He was a leach, envious, and impractical. “Exactly my point.
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  • Richard HirschExcellent. Thank you David. You are an insightful thinker and talented writer.
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  • Jeffry SanfordWhat is your understanding of how to avoid ownership of the political ruling class by more ancient players in the game of power politics? Is there a role for the power of “turba” as the mob was called in Ancient Rome?
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  • David Lakvold
    • ActiveDavid TreppendahlDavid Lakvold I agreeMike Bloomberg was my first choice. Or John Kasich. But there was no way progressive Dems would go for Bloomberg and certainly MAGA Republicans would not go with Kasich.Biden was much better choice than Bernie.And he was the only Dem who could defeat Trump – something Trump fully understood and consequently tried to blackmail the Ukrainians into helping him smear Biden.Once you fully understand the extent to which Trump went to subvert the Constitution and violate the rule of law to illegally stay in power, only then will you recognize what a huge blessing it was that Sleepy Joe came out of retirement and saved America from being ruled by an unscrupulous autocrat.3
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  • ActiveSteve NoyolaOh good grief….
  • ActiveDella StoutThank you for clarity. I watched Watergate from start to finish with my Mafia Papa. He kept screaming at the tv “RIOC! RICO!” Having been a strike buster as all Louisiana unions were mobbed up. Now I watch it in his spirit and to be able to recount to my grandchildren the truth.

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